Help me decide if I should leave my startup 🙏🏻

[bigboof1959]

Help me decide if I should leave a startup

I recently started at a 2 year old startup that just raised a 95M series C round. Valuation is 500M. Place is profitable with 40M ARR out of which over 50% is profit. There seems to be same competition in the space. I have about 0.2% in options at the latest strike price (probably not great). My base is 210k. State tax. Work is fun, but rushed, people seem great.

I have another offer for 325k at a hedge fund in a M cost area with NO state tax - same base and the rest is cash bonus given every 6 months. People also seem great. I pro is less rushed more quality focused.

Please help me choose... I have 2 days left to decide

Money is primary consideration... Not sure how I would feel if I leave and startup makes it big. For context my net worth is about 1.3M all liquid.

 

[lighthouse4031]

@bigboof1959 One is guanteed money. The other is a lottery ticket. The only useful advice i can say is a hedge fun is probably more stressful day to day

 

[sevenz]

@bigboof1959 Just to note OP, hedge fund is just as volatile as any startup. Unless it’s a mega fund, fund closures are incredibly high per year as well as the churn.In your case, your startup is already a rocket ship. Your upside is far higher with the startup as well. Unless you are generating actual p&l at a hedge fund and generate true alpha, you won’t ever really sniff REAL money.

I would stay at the startup. People who are recommending hedge fund has never worked at a hedge fund.

*spent first six years out of college working for a hedge fund w/ >$1bn AUM

 

[blayne]

@bigboof1959 I would take the HedgeFund every day. It will open up opportunities you didn't have before.

 

[bellamellow]

@bigboof1959 Hedge fund would open up so many other options. I'd take it (ask for carry in the fund).

 

[wanjiku]

@bigboof1959 You cannot have everything.
See what your heart says.
You will know if you are happy or not at the current place. If you were you won't have looked maybe.

If it makes big , so be it. We don't know the future.
Hedge fund might just be Boring

It also depends on what kind-of work you do at both places.